Castlebar-based Eugene McDermott has caught the mood of real country aficionados with his Old Time Country Tours to Tennessee and Arkansas.

The 2017 Old Time Country Tour to Tennessee and Arkansas, which also takes in Mississippi this time, runs from 6 to 16 September. The tour is personally guided by Eugene, who has acquired an amazing insight into the scene over the years.

This year’s trip will start in Memphis to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. Elvis, regarded as the king of rock ’n’ roll, recorded numerous country and gospel songs. Among his first songs was the old Bill Monroe classic, Blue Moon of Kentucky.

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Those on the tour will have platinum tickets to visit Graceland Mansion and grounds, a guided tour of Sun Studio where Elvis first recorded, and a visit to Tupelo, Mississippi, the birthplace of Elvis. They will also call to the church where Elvis first started singing during his young years before moving to Memphis.

Next stop will be the Dyess Colony in Mississippi County in rural Arkansas where the Cash family moved in 1935. The tour group will also visit the restored boyhood home of Johnny Cash.

The Nashville and Tennessee experience has been perfected by Eugene since he launched these annual trips some years ago. The Nashville experience will feature a night at the Grand Ole Opry, a trip on the General Jackson Steamboat, and visits to the Ryman Auditorium, the Country Hall of Fame, and the Nashville Nightlife Dinner Theatre.

After Nashville, the group will travel to Pigeon Forge. While there, they will enjoy Dolly Wood, the Theme Park that honours the First Lady of country music, Dolly Parton. The group will also visit the Museum of Appalachia in Clinton, with an evening at the Country Tonite Show.

All of the above, including return flights from Dublin, nine nights B&B and coach travel are all included in the cost of the tour. For further information, contact Eugene on 094-902 3663 or 086-803 5558. From Northern Ireland, call 00353-9490 23663 or 079-7964 0208 or email eugenejmcdermott@eircom.net